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WHT responds to SOS

This week, our trades and apprentices have been helping out on the popular BBC show DIY SOS's latest project.

Local companies and businesses were asked to help a family in Hopesay, near Craven Arms, turn an old cottage into a home.

Joe and Lucy's story….

Firefighter Joe, Primary School Teacher Jess, and their daughter Lucy (now 7) moved from London to rural Hopesay in the Shropshire Hills in 2011, and slowly began work renovating an old worker's cottage into their dream home.

In April 2014 Jess became ill and was diagnosed with acute Leukemia and Septicemia, she sadly passed away just two days later.

Joe had also been involved in a road accident at work, leaving him with severe back injuries, and forcing him to leave his dream job with the fire service.

Unfortunately work on the cottage had to stop when an uncovered 4ft-wide stream was found flowing underneath the living-room floor, their money had to then be spent on re-routing the stream. As a result and with Joe now out of work, they could no longer afford to finish the house and are currently living in a tiny caravan in the garden.

SOS

We were asked to bring together a team to help! Trades, apprentices and trainees were all given the opportunity to work on the project, which took place over nine days, with our employees working on the house on monday and Tuesday.

Our trades and apprentices spent their time there painting the outside of the house and the porch as well as working with the Landscaping Team on the external works and landscaping the garden.

The 'big reveal' took place yesterday and the programme will hopefully be aired in May.